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U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, at age 89, looks forward to another six year term in the U.S. Senate, serving the people of Iowa and the Unites States through legislation and committee work.
REGIONAL U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley was still a relatively young man well, he was 65 when he made a major decision that changed his life.
Grassley was visiting one of the 400 nursing homes in Iowa in his role as chairman of a Senate subcommittee when he was told that keeping senior citizens active was a key to their health.
The problem was, few of them were willing or able to exercise.
Grassley had never been much to do it either he realized. So, he started to run to improve the chance he would live longer. Grassley did not want to end up unable to enjoy the rest of his life, he said.
I decided I didnt want to do that, the states senior very senior senator said. That was about my age 65, and I decided I was going to start running, and I am glad I did that.
Now, at 89, after just being elected to an eighth term in the U.S. Senate, Grassley maintains a regular running regime. He runs two miles six days a week, a pattern that he continued in 2020 even after being diagnosed with COVID-19.
I feel perfectly, Grassley said in a phone interview, sounding vigorous and alert. Everythings very good. And you got to remember, my work is love of Iowa, love working for the people of Iowa. I try to keep a very vigorous schedule.
He said he goes to bed at 9 p.m., rises at 4 a.m., runs and then gets to work by 6 a.m. When back in Iowa, he spends time on the family farm in Butler County and continues his tour of all 99 counties every year.
Longtime politician
Grassley has been in politics since 1958, when he was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives to represent Butler County.
In 1974, he was elected to Congress, winning the 3rd District seat vacated by retiring Rep. H.R. Gross, a Republican from Waterloo. Grassley was the sole Republican member of Congress from Iowa then; he now leads a delegation made up of all Republicans.
After three terms in the House, Grassley defeated Democratic Sen. John Culver in 1980 for one of Iowas two Senate seats. He was re-elected in 1986, 1992, 1998, 2004, 2010, 2016 and, on Nov. 8, won his eighth term with an easy victory over retired admiral Michael Franken, a Sioux County native, 56 percent to 44 percent.
Grassley is the eighth longest-serving senator in American history at nearly 42 years. When he is sworn in again in 2023, he will snap a tie with former Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch and become the longest-serving Republican senator of all time.
Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, who served 47 years, five months and eight days, was elected as both a Democrat and a Republican.
The late Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia holds the record at 51 years, five months and 26 days. Byrd never retired he died in office in 2010.
For Grassley to set the longevity record, he would need to win again in 2028 and serve until he was nearly 100.
Grassley is the second-most senior senator, trailing only Sen. Patrick Leahy, a Democrat from Vermont who has served almost 48 years. Leahy did not seek re-election and will retire in early January, making Grassley the senior member of the Senate.
Full agenda
Grassley has no plans to serve in an emeritus fashion. He has a long list of goals to reach in the next six years, and some bills to pass. One already is set to become law.
The Rural Opioid Abuse Prevention Act, a bipartisan bill sponsored by Grassley and Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Georgia), headed to President Joe Biden for his signature on Dec. 6. It passed the Senate in December 2021, and the House of Representatives approved it a year later.
Todays passage of the Rural Opioid Abuse Prevention Act is a critical step forward in our ongoing effort to curb the opioid crisis, Grassley said in a statement. Our bill will help communities in Iowa and across the country…
Read More: Local News: Sen. Chuck Grassley talks about upcoming session (12/28/22)